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The Long and Winding Road…

~ An Alzheimer's Journey and Beyond

The Long and Winding Road…

Category Archives: Life After Caregiving

Happy 84th Birthday, Mom.

11 Sunday Oct 2020

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Advocacy and Awareness, Fundraising, Life After Caregiving, Marilyn's Legacy, Mom

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alzheimers, dementia, marilyns legacy


On October 12, 2020, my mom would have celebrated her 84th birthday. When I see healthy, vibrant seniors around that age, I can’t help but imagine what Mom would have been like if Alzheimer’s hadn’t gotten in the way.

In the eight years since her death, we’ve come a long way in terms of shining the light on this disease and bringing it out of the shadows. While a certain level of stigma still exists, people are talking much more openly about their personal experiences, many families are asking for help, and progress is being made in terms of the general public understanding the importance of early diagnosis.

Although we don’t always hear about it, encouraging work is being done in research labs across America and the world. I recently attended a Cure Alzheimer’s Zoom call and heard leading researcher Dr. Rudy Tanzi discuss many studies currently underway. That call served as a reminder that forward progress is being made each and every day. Hope is alive.

Back in 2016, I founded Marilyn’s Legacy because I wanted to keep my mom’s memory alive, and I needed a way to give purpose to everything we had been through. I needed to know something positive resulted from the suffering Mom endured. Because of our many generous supporters, in five years of existence, over $19,000 in donations have been directed to UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, The Ohio State University Alzheimer’s Fund in Neurology, the HFC (formerly Hilarity for Charity) Caregiver Respite Grant Program, and the National Church Residences Hospice Caregiver Support Program (earmarked for dementia families). I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished, but there is always more to do.

Families of the over 5 million Americans current living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are facing challenges the likes of which many cannot fathom.  No two days are the same and it is an experience that defies all logic.

Losing a lifetime of memories would certainly be horrendous on its own, but that merely scratches the surface when it comes to these diseases. Severe agitation, paranoia, verbally and physically abusive behaviors, delusions, hallucinations, loss of ability to speak, inability to manage the activities of daily living,  and eventually inability to swallow – as time goes on, these symptoms and others can become commonplace.

As we mark Mom’s 84th birthday, we hope you might consider making a one-time or recurring tax-deductible contribution to this, our 5th annual giving campaign. To do so, please visit  http://marilynslegacy.org/donate. 


Other ways to help:

Amazon Smile. When shopping Amazon, please use our Amazon Smile link:  http://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-1813012.  By your taking this simple action, Amazon will make a donation to Marilyn’s Legacy and it won’t cost you a dime! Bookmark our link and use it each time you shop!

Alzheimer’s Semipostal Stamp.  Thanks to the tireless efforts of advocates Kathy Siggins and Lynda Everman, the Alzheimer’s stamp has returned. Before being withdrawn in 2017, the stamp had generated over $1.0 million for NIH supported research. Stamps are available for purchase at most post offices, online at https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/alzheimers-S_564204 and by phone at 1-800-STAMP-24. Get yours today! For additional information, please check out this fantastic blog post by Carlen Maddux.

Share this post. A quick share of this post to your social media channels is a great way to help spread the word!

Thank you for taking the time to visit The Long and Winding Road. We’re grateful for your support! May you and yours remain safe and healthy during the coming weeks and months.

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Mother’s Day in Heaven

10 Sunday May 2020

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Caregivers, Grieving, Life After Caregiving, Mom, Mother's Day

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Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful Mother in Heaven, and special blessings to all who are missing their own mothers today and every day.

These photos taken at Eason House are some of my favorites from one of my most memorable Mother’s Days. Mom was having such a good day and I see so many glimpses of the old Marilyn in the images.  Oh how she loved her sweet treats, and she sure enjoyed her fudgsicle that day.

This morning, I sat quietly for a few minutes and felt her loving presence surrounding me…

Eight Mother’s Days without her.

 

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The Longest Day: 8 Ways to Get Involved

21 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Advocacy and Awareness, Brain Health Registry, Call to Action, Caregivers, Fundraising, Galaxy A List, Help Stamp Out Alzheimer's, Helpful Resources, Life After Caregiving, Marilyn's Legacy, Mom, Registries, Research, USAgainstAlzheimer's, Washington

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a list, alzheimers, Alzheimers advocacy, alzheimers registries, alzheimers research, alzheimers resources, alzheimers stamp, change act, dementia, Marilyn's Legacy, the longest day

June 21st is more than just the summer solstice. It’s The Longest Day – a time for our thoughts to be with those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and their care partners.

It’s a day to spend doing something you love or something to honor a special person living with – or lost to – dementia… a day to raise awareness about AD, how it affects families both emotionally and financially, its staggering impact on our economy and healthcare system, the desperate need for research, education, improved care, and support for family caregivers.

We can’t afford to turn away from the problem, nor can we afford to remain on the current trajectory. If you haven’t yet been personally impacted, odds are you will be. If you have been, you know it’s a life-altering journey.

Get Involved

Learn More. At Marilyn’s Legacy, we proudly support the outstanding work being done by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. Visit their website to learn more about AD, its colossal impact to our nation both socially and economically, exciting and promising research, and more. Join one of UsA2’s networks, check out their activist toolkit, and join the monthly Alzheimer’s Talks calls to speak directly with leading researchers and other subject matter experts.

Join the A-LIST.  The A-LIST is a first-of-its kind online community of people with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, or Mild Cognitive Impairment, along with current and former care partners, and the worried well who are concerned about AD. I’m proud to be one of the earliest members of this group that provides members the opportunity to change the face of research by sharing caregiver and patient experiences and preferences. For me, it’s one very easy way to give purpose to our story, or as Meryl Comer often says, “flip the pain.”

Share our Resource List.   Do you know someone touched by Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia that is feeling lost and alone? Share our free Resource List with them, and check back often for updates.

Join a Registry. Another free, easy way to get involved is by joining a registry. Research comes in many forms; some studies simply require online surveys or brain tests that can be taken from the comfort of your living room. Check out the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry, Brain Health Registry, GeneMatch, and TrialMatch.

Buy Alzheimer’s Stamps. Did you know there is an Alzheimer’s semipostal (fundraising) stamp? The stamp was released in November 2017 and has already raised over $400,000 for research, not to mention the attention/awareness the stamp generates each time it is seen on an envelope! Since its first issuance in 1998, another familiar semipostal – the breast cancer stamp – has raised over $86 million. A sheet of 20 Alzheimer’s stamps costs $13. Visit your local post office or the USPS website to purchase!

Contact Your Representatives. Your voice matters! Call or write your senators and representatives, and ask them to support additional funding for Alzheimer’s. If you have a personal story, share it.  Also ask them to co-sponsor the CHANGE Act, which promotes timely detection and diagnosis, encourages innovative approaches to supporting family care partners, and removes regulatory barriers to disease-modifying treatments. Here is a link to allow you to do this as quickly as you can enter your email address, name, and zip code.

Make a donation. Marilyn’s Legacy: A World Without Alzheimer’s is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization inspired by my late mother, Marilyn Napoletan. Our mission is to increase Alzheimer’s awareness among the masses as well as raise funds to stop this insidious disease and provide support to enhance quality of life for families currently on this journey. We support organizations that are recognized leaders in this space and have shown superior financial stewardship in regard to use of charitable contributions.

Share This Post on Social Media. In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Little did Ms. Mead know then that in 2018, her words might be more important than ever before.

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The Long and Winding Road

Between 2009 and 2015, Marilyn’s Mighty Memory Makers have raised over $22,000 in the fight to #ENDALZ! To all who have supported us, THANK YOU!!

Marilyn, BA (before Alzheimer's)

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Recent Posts

  • June 7, 2021: A Historic Day
  • UsAgainstAlzheimer’s National Alzheimer’s Summit: Don’t Miss It!
  • Happy 84th Birthday, Mom.
  • Mother’s Day in Heaven
  • World Alzheimer’s Month

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